Hurricane Melissa continues to intensify as the eye spins off Jamaica’s southwest coast. The storm’s sustained winds have increased to 185 mph and the pressure has dropped to one of the lowest on record in the Atlantic Basin.

Hurricane Melissa’s 892mb pressure makes it the 3rd strongest on record.

It ties with the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 that hit the Florida Keys, jogged up the west coast and made a second landfall near Cedar Key, FL. Wilma holds the spot for the lowest pressure on record – 882mb in 2005.

Melissa is approaching landfall within hours along Jamaica’s southwestern coast near Treasure Beach and moving off the north coast near Montego Bay this afternoon.

Recon data today has found that Melissa is one of the strongest storms on record in the Atlantic basin. In fact, the storm is so violent, a NOAA hurricane hunter mission was cut short due to extreme turbulence in the eye wall.

The projected track is just awful. A Category 5 hurricane making landfall in Jamaica late Monday night or Tuesday morning.
There is a long history of hurricanes making landfall in Jamaica, the most notable was Hurricane Gilbert. It made landfall near Kingston in 1988 as a Category 4 hurricane. Before Sandy made its trip up the east coast of the United States in 2012. it first went over Jamaica as a Category 1 hurricane. Jamaica’s mountainous terrain makes the threat of mudslides and landslides from Melissa much worse. Entire communities will become isolated with no power or communication. Unfortunately, Melissa will probably go down as the worst storm to hit the island in modern times. Praying for the good people of Jamaica.